Las Vegas Police Department
Krystal Whipple, a 21-year-old Las Vegas woman, is currently wanted by police after she allegedly used a stolen car to run over and kill a Las Vegas nail salon owner on Saturday, December 29. The store owner was reportedly chasing Whipple’s vehicle because she failed to pay for a $35 manicure.
What Happened?
The Las Vegas Police Department released surveillance footage that showed 51-year-old nail salon owner Ngoc Q. Nguyen jump in front of Whipple’s black sedan before being dragged beneath the car.
According to Homicide Lt. Ray Spencer, Whipple attempted to pay for her manicure with a fraudulent credit card before telling Nguyen that she was going to her car to get cash. Upon arriving at her car, Whipple attempted to drive away before she ran over and killed Nguyen. Whipple’s still-unnamed husband can be seen holding on the vehicle from behind in the video.
Police say the car that Whipple was driving was a rental that had been stolen last month and was later found abandoned at an apartment complex.
Clark County District Court records show that Whipple was previously convicted in 2017 of attempted possession of a stolen vehicle and was sentenced to four months in jail.
Police were called about 3:45 p.m. Saturday to Crystal Nails & Spa, 4983 W. Flamingo Road, near South Decatur Boulevard, where a woman had been hit and dragged by a customer in a rental car who had left the salon without paying, Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Ray Spencer said Saturday night.
The woman was taken to University Medical Center, where she died, police said Saturday. She was Nhu Nguyen, 53, according to Sonny Chung, who said he lived with Nguyen in Las Vegas and helped run the salon.
Nguyen’s customer had tried to pay for her $35 manicure with a credit card that was declined. She swiped the card three or four times before telling Nguyen that she was going to get money from her car, Chung said.
Nguyen called Chung over and the couple followed the woman outside to try to stop her from leaving. The glass in the back window of the black, newer-model Chevrolet Camaro, which police have said was a rental car, was broken out, and Nguyen tried to hold on to the frame of the rear windshield, near the trunk, Chung said.
A GoFundMe page created for Nguyen has raised over $25,000 at time of this writing.
Nguyen is survived by her three daughters and two grandchildren.
Who Is Krystal Whipple?
Krystal Whipple is a 21-year-old Las Vegas woman who is currently wanted by police after she allegedly used a stolen car to run over and killNgoc Q. Nguyen, a Las Vegas nail salon owner, on Saturday, December 29.
The store owner was reportedly chasing Whipple’s vehicle because she failed to pay for a $35 manicure.
Police has asked anyone with information about Whipple’s whereabouts to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521.